This week, Lubbock police pulled over 15 people and gave them tickets for not obeying the Move Over law. They say it is really a matter of life and death for them when they’re standing on the shoulders of roads.
“I probably have plenty of footage on my body camera of almost getting hit,” said Officer Jason Rodgers with the Lubbock Police Department.
Officer Rodgers said working accidents or pulling someone over on the highway can be nerve-wracking, especially if drivers are not obeying the Move Over law.
“I have to give myself a good 30 seconds before getting out of my car, sometimes, because people are coming and I have to watch. I have to. Which is smart to look, but people aren’t moving over,” said Rodgers.
If you see emergency vehicle lights on the shoulder of the road, the law requires you to move over, or drive 20 miles under the posted speed limit.
“If I’m on the South Loop or Interstate, we talk on the grass. We don’t talk in between cars. I’ve see way too many dashcam videos of cars slamming into emergency vehicles,” Rodgers said.
The Texas Department of Public Safety says the majority of trooper deaths were caused by moving vehicles.
“I’ve been out there working traffic. I’ve come close to being hit because people don’t move over or they don’t slow down,” said Sergeant John Gonzalez with the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Within the last two years, DPS has given more than 700 ‘Move Over’ citations and more than 1,000 warnings.
“Be alert. Be vigilant what you see. Be vigilant while you’re driving. And just move over and slow down, and do it out of respect for these people that are providing a service for you as well as providing yourself a protection and a cushion zone from something that could occur,” said Sergeant Gonzalez.
A ticket could cost you up to $500, and if someone is hurt, you could be arrested.
For more information on the Move Over or Slow Down law, visit the TxDOT website here.
